New York Islanders: Josh Ho-Sang Expectations For 2018-2019

With Josh Ho-Sang spending most of the 2017-2018 season in the minors will he make the New York Islanders this year or play in the AHL again?

The 2017-2018 seasons wasn’t kind to New York Islanders prospect Josh Ho-Sang. Josh was scapegoated for the Islanders defensive struggles, things didn’t get better after he was sent down, and was unmotivated in the AHL.

In 22 games with the big club last year, he put up 12 points in 22 games. That’s a pace of about a .55 points per game which would mean he would’ve produced roughly 45 points if he played the entire season.

The Islanders third line was a major issue last year, mostly because they lacked production (see Brock Nelson, Andrew Ladd, and Tanner Fritz) so it never made sense why they were so reluctant t continually give failing vets opportunities over Ho-Sang.

When Josh was sent down to the AHL he played on the fourth line. Josh Ho-Sang is not a fourth line player. Often times for that role, you want a defensive forward who isn’t afraid to throw the body around, Josh is the opposite of that.

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He’s a speedster who is more likely to pass the puck than shoot but makes dynamic plays with his skating abilities. The Isles wanted him to skate in straight lines and learn defense.

Clearly, that didn’t work. His production wasn’t great in the A, putting up 31 points (8 goals, 23 assists) in 50 games.

This year, Ho-Sang seems to be understood by Barry Trotz and the organization. Reports surfaced of Barry and Josh talking and Barry having a ton of praise for Ho-Sang in the process. Despite all the love, which I’m ecstatic to hear about, Ho-Sang will need to have a phenomenal camp to make the roster.

The Islanders forward group is overcrowded and Ho-Sang and Kieffer Bellows too will likely end up in the AHL with it being no fault of their own.

The Prediction

I expect Josh Ho-Sang to start the season in the AHL. In February, due to an injury or ineffectiveness Josh Ho-Sang will get the call after having 30 points in 40 games at the AHL level. Then, Ho-Sang will play out the rest of the season in the NHL, something like:

32 games, 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists)

If Ho-Sang can get any playing time this year, like 30 games or so, and excel than he should absolutely play a role on the big club going forward. Ho-Sang will turn 23 this year and if Leo Komarov and/or Andrew Ladd are struggling and getting minutes over him than the Isles have bigger issues than imagined.

With the new regime, I expect them to have a quicker trigger finger when it comes to playing the youth. Ho-Sang will force himself into the lineup at some point, it just might not be in October.